LOWER TRESTLES, San Clemente, California (Saturday, May 5, 2012) – Gabriel Medina (BRA), 18, has taken out the ASP PRIME Nike Lowers Pro, defeating veteran campaigner Glenn Hall (IRL), 30, in two-to-four foot waves at Lower Trestles. Medina got the best of an opening exchange against Hall and held the lead throughout the heat’s entirety, marking him as the second consecutive Brazilian to win the Nike Lowers Pro following Miguel Pupo’s (BRA), 20, win in 2011.

“This is a very special win and it has been a long week,” Medina said. “I’m going to Brazil now with more confidence and this has been great.” Medina’s run at the Nike Lowers Pro was one of complete dominance, as the young Brazilian earned several of the event’s top scores including the only flawless 10-point ride while taking the event’s highest heat-total of 19.80 out of 20 in his Semifinals victory over Adrian Buchan (AUS), 29.

2012 Nike Lowers Pro champion Gabriel Medina. Photo: Dorsey

“I love Trestles so much,” Medina said. “It’s just such a good wave and it’s one of my favorites, I don’t have words to explain how I’m feeling right now. I’m stoked.”

Glenn “Micro” Hall proved to be the dark-horse of the event, consistently putting on solid performances on both his forehand and backhand to top ASP World Championship Tour surfers Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, and John John Florence (HAW), 19, en route to the final, but was unable to surpass Medina, finishing runner-up overall. “It’s Lowers, it can turn on or off at any time in the day,” Hall said. “You kind of have to be on to it and luck has to go your way as well,” Hall said. “I had a few lucky heats earlier in the event and that heat was funny with Gabriel. I thought we were going to have an interference in the beginning and they didn’t call it, but it’s all good though. He surfed well and he won.”

Hall, who has been knocking on the door for elite ASP World Championship Tour qualification for several years, is hoping his result at the Nike Lowers Pro kick-starts his qualification campaign for 2013. “This is a great result for sure,” Hall said. “The way the system is now, if you don’t get results in PRIME events, you don’t qualify, so I’m relieved with this result and am in a good position to try and qualify now. I’m going to do all of the PRIMES and see how we go.”

John John Florence was dangerous at this year’s Nike Lowers Pro, constantly dismantling the Lowers right-handers with stylish carves and massive aerials. Florence launched a full-rotation 360 air in his Semifinal against Glenn Hall for a 9-point score, but was unable to find a second backup score and finished equal 3rd overall. “I kept having these slow heats and I tried to get a quick start and I just couldn’t put it together,” Florence said. “I had the one big air and got a good score and only needed a small score, I got it and then Micro got a score at the end.”

John Florence. Photo: Dorsey

Florence’s equal 3rd place finish marked the end to an amazing win-streak for the young Hawaiian, who had consecutively won the ASP PRIME at Sunset Beach, the ASP 5-Star at Pipeline and the ASP PRIME at Margaret River, and his equal 3rd place result at the Nike Lowers Pro continues to secure his position among the top competitors on the ASP World Ranking. “I’m stoked to have made the Semis, but it would have been nice to have made the Final,” Florence said. “I was having fun and the waves have been fun all week so I’m stoked.”

Adrian Buchan consistently put on polished performances at this year’s Nike Lowers Pro, but fell short of a Final berth when Gabriel Medina surfed a near-perfect 19.80 heat in their Semifinal clash and finished with an equal 3rd place result. “Gabe surfed an amazing heat and obviously got the jump on me from the start,” Buchan said. “I didn’t feel like I ever really hit top gear. I feel like I surfed well in some of my other heats and didn’t catch the best waves, but I guess that’s something I can take away from this event and to still walk away with a 3rd, I’m happy. That heat was disappointing, but you can’t let Gabe have any of those lefts.”

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Kid rips but shows no class. I understand and enjoy some of the passion that Brazilians bring but most of the time it's too much. Super Medina t-shirt! That guy who's got 11 world titles doesn't even have one of those shirts. No wonder why just about everyone who's not Brazilian gets turned off by this sh#t.

Seems like this chick Mariana knows nothing about surfing. Hes just a 18 year old kid who destroyed everyone at the event..even you super advertised homeboys who couldn't even focus after seeing him do what he learned from Dane, Slater etc... When he gets really good at Chopes and Pipe then you guys will have a serious self esteem problem..Go wash the dishes or something...

I saw Medina PRAY, give credit to GOD for his Quarter final victory, AND YOU BACKBITERS are you giving any credit to anyone BUT YOUR BRIUSIED EGOS! I AM AS U.S. AS THEY GET, A RAWLINS AS IN SEC OF WAR, GENERAL JOHN AARON, and he is a HUMAN FIRST< and first in the contest, sand he is SUPER. YOU can quote me as me, and Buddy Princeton, and Gaberiel will PUSH KELLY, AND ALL of them! IF YOU CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT DO NOT COMPETE!